Are your kids “wild readers”? Are you? I know I am! For one, I read a book about reading. But how do I share that love of books with my children?

I just finished Donalyn Miller’s “Reading in the Wild.” A perfect book to get ready for summer reading! This book is about how to cultivate lifelong reading habits. Although Miller specifically talks about her experiences teaching 6th graders to love reading (beyond her classroom), I thought her insights applied to everyone, including me (mom).

I have to admit that I grabbed this book simply based on the title. WILD READERS! I want that for my kids! Wild readers read because they love reading. Nothing can stop them from reading. They read whenever they get the chance. They know what they want to read next. They have favorite authors and series. They are confident in their book selections. They seek out reading communities and enjoy talking with over readers.

If you have a house full of wild readers or you want to help your kids become wild readers, this is the book for you. There are an AMAZING number of things we do that we think encourage reading but instead squash our children’s interest in reading. Do we give our children enough opportunities to read? Do we allow them the opportunity for self-selection?

If you want to kick off summer reading with a BANG, I recommend checking this book out first! Then hit the library.

What’s up with the trays? The first thing you will probably notice about a Montessori-inspired home or Montessori classroom is the TRAYS. In our home, I use whatever is available – wooden trays, wooden bowls, woven baskets, plastics serving dishes, etc – usually picked up at a consignment shop like Goodwill.

I didn’t really understand the purpose of the trays until my three-year old had friends over who pulled everything off our shelves and threw things on the floor. We actually didn’t mind but Boaz busily put everything back into their correct places. Order and placement is ingrained into his habits and nature.

His learning experience begins when he enters the room. How are things organized? How are they grouped together? The next challenge – can he pick up the tray with the activity and carry to his table or the floor to play? This requires balance, coordination, and focus. When he’s done, can he put it back without dropping it before getting a new activity? Again – focus, attention, patience.

Don’t give up before they start! At first, they may throw things on the floor. After awhile they understand the process. And this process – organizing toys and activities on shelves with trays or other containers – makes clean up quicker! It also promotes continual learning development from the minute they enter the room. That’s why we love Montessori trays!

Are you a free-rangeor helicopter parent? How do you create a play space for your neighborhood?

I read two interesting articles on parenting this week.

1.) The first one, “What does it mean to be a good parent?“, addresses the issue of providing opportunities for your child’s independence without alerting the authorities. Seriously – it happens. What are the benefits of providing independence, such as walking to school alone? Are our ideas of danger over-exaggerated? Is it right to judge other parents and their parenting styles? When is it okay to intervene?

I was also very interested in the shorter article joined with it entitled “How to create play spaces.” This talks about creating a safe, playful community with play spaces – not just playgrounds – in your backyard. Very cool examples and video!

2.) The second article, “The Overbooked Generation“, questions whether families are overburdened with extracurricular activities. I can answer that. Yes, we are. But is that okay? What are the benefits and the alternatives? Is your (meaning your kids’) schedule out of control? Is that how you like it?

We have been enjoying our playtime in nature during the recent warm, spring weather. It’s difficult to tell who enjoys it more, me, Noah (5 mon), or Boaz (3 yrs). I can’t say enough good things about my toddler’s reactions to nature. I enjoy incorporating nature (sand, ocean animals, more animals) into our shelf work (Montessori-inspired). Sometimes my toddler needs a little encouragement as we drive by the playground and head to the beach, woods, or water areas. The playground equipment calls to him. We go there too, after we play in nature. Since I talk it up so much, I thought I’d show some pictures to prove we really do it! You’ll see some pictures of a scenic park off of a lake where you can walk along the water, through the woods, and down to a beach. We discovered a pair of ducks and built (rather destroyed) sand castles. At home, I made activities with sand and toy animals – matching games, words games, and sensorial activities – to bring nature into the house and continue the theme.

Follow Blog via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

About the Author

Thanks for visiting! Forcing the Bloom is about learning to let life unfold in its own natural and beautiful way without forcing the "petals" of life open too quickly. Check out our Montessori activities, recipes, and ideas for around the home.